Technology: giveth, and it taketh away. For every new outcry about the impact that technology will have on jobs (which is a real concern: 40% may be lost in the coming years), there are another thousand jobs created because of technology. It’s permeated virtually all aspects of the job process, including how we’re searching for jobs – and whether we’re hired it or not. Below, we take a look at how tech has improved the job process, as well as some of its drawbacks.

Versatility

Spare a thought for all those people in days gone by, who had to hope that their flimsy piece of paper would find its way into the office of the people who matter. If it did, they had to hope that piece of paper would outline all their skills and make the employer interested. Not so much these days. Thanks to technology, people can really sell their personality and skills. Video resumes are increasingly popular, with people making videos of themselves tailored to the company they want to work for.

Power to the Employee

It’s not only getting noticed that technology has helped employees, either. Thanks for the internet, a person can find out everything they need to know about a company’s hiring process and the pros and cons of working there, regardless of what industry they want to enter. Trying to enter the information technology field? You can look up IT interviewer questions and give yourself an advantage when you sit down for the interview. If you’re unsure about working for a particular company or just want to know more, you can look up anonymous reviews of the company online. Employees haven’t always had the upper hand when it comes to work, but tech has made it more equal.

Back to Bite

With that being said, employees haven’t got all their own way. There’s one big aspect that can cost even the most promising potential employees a job offer: their social media accounts. A person can have all the right qualifications, be enthusiastic and willing to take the job, only to not receive an offer all because of something that they broadcast on social media. Tech has made job hunting more open, but it’s also open enough that some people end up causing themselves more harm than intended.

Round the Clock

You can be anywhere in the world, at any time of the day, and be applying for jobs across the globe. Globalization has been fuelled by technological advancement. No more job listings in the local paper! It’s all online now. And if you’re looking for a job, you might want to investigate the “secret” job listings.

More Tech, More Human

Ironically, the job hiring process is more human now than it ever was before. That’s because of technology’s greatest gift: the power of communication. Employer and potentially employee can Skype, get to know each other on a level that’s deeper than just professional, and companies can be more open and human than in the past.